HRC Blog

The following post is from HRC Staff Counsel, Aaron Welo: Minnesota Republicans yesterday introduced an amendment to the state constitution that would ban same-sex marriage in the state. The proposed amendment, introduced in three identical Senate bills with 12 total cosponsors, asks “[s]hall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?” State Senator Warren Limmer (R-Maple Grove) appears to be taking the lead on this effort by cosponsoring each of the three bills and speaking at yesterday’s press conference. The proposed amendment would constitutionally ban marriage equality in the state, which is already illegal under existing state law. Rather than focusing on improving the state economy, or finding a solution to the state’s $5 billion budget deficit, state Republicans are attempting to distract from their failure to address the real issues by attempting to harm LGBT families.

With many state legislatures facing adjournment dates in the next few weeks, anti-equality lawmakers around the country are ramping up attacks on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Harmful legislation has already passed in a few states and is advancing in others.